Metrowest MA

Event Date

8/19/17 10:30am to 12:00pm

Come join NEMBA for a Kids Ride at Beaver Brook North, Belmont on Saturday August 19th at 10:30am. Kids Rides are a great way for kids and teens to build strong bodies, build confidence, have tons of fun and enjoy being outside! The Kids Rides are designed for children ages 6-15.

Based on the skill levels of the participants, we typically break into two groups: one for kids who have more experience with riding, and a second group for beginners. All we ask is no training wheels.

No registration is required. This is a free event. If you have any questions about the Kids Rides please contact Andrea Jones.

These rides allow children to have fun while enjoying the outdoors and getting some fitness. In addition to learning some biking skills, we teach respect for the parks, trails, and other trail users. The ride will be well staffed and every safety precaution will be observed. Parents are welcome on the ride but not required. Riders must have a serviceable bike, properly fitted helmet, and water for the ride. All riders must wear closed-toed shoes - no flip flops or sandals. Snacks will be provided! Read more about GBNEMBA 2017 Kids Ride Series

Yellick & Suasco - Stirrup Brook Trails

Easy

40%

Moderate

40%

Difficult

20%

Description

You can access the Yellick & Suasco trails by parking on Boundary St. in Northborough. This is mostly an out and back route, although there are a couple lollipop loops you can create where the trails branch off behind the Algonquin High School. Take the trail out of the dirt lot on Boundary St. You’ll ride along the perimeter of a farmer’s field before heading back into forest, where you’ll find a few old vintage cars that were left to rust away. Once you reach the top of this climb, you’ll notice the trail branches. You should take the right branch down a hill, through another farmer’s field and back into the woods, and will eventually end on Rt. 20. Head to the west on Rt. 20 (your right from this direction) and cross the road where you see a pull off area with Jersey barriers a short distance up the road, and the entrance to the Stirrup Brook Trail is behind the pull off.

At the first intersection you encounter, take the left branching trail. You’ll find that the trails start to get a bit more technical here, with more rock gardens to navigate. You’ll pop out into a grassy strip and find trails down to your left and up to your right on the other side. The trail on the right will lead you up to the athletic fields behind the school, while the trail to the left follows the Stirrup Brook. I recommend taking the left hand trail, although both will eventually lead you to the same place. If you go to the right and up to the athletic fields, you will need to ride the perimeter of the fields until you find a gate that will give you access back onto the trail network behind the school. If you take the left branching trail, it will lead you through a field and over a bridge. There is an intersection just past the bridge, and I normally take the left branch here again. You can go straight, and it will bring you back to the same trail as if you go left, but you will avoid some of the rock gardens. The trail crosses several more streams, eventually a large stream with a wide wooden bridge, before heading up a hill and onto Bartlett St. At this point, I turn around and retrace my path back to Boundary St.

By Brenda Smith

NOTE: The Northborough Trails system is mountain bike friendly with the exception of Cedar Hills and Sawink Farm. Please do not ride those trails. Trail maps and trail head locations can be accessed at the following url: www.Northboroughtrails.org. The trails are all similar in terms of terrain and are all good for novice to intermediate riders, with the exception of Mt. Pisgah.

Local Shops

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Carney Park / Cold Harbor Trail

Easy

60%

Moderate

20%

Difficult

10%

Description

Cold Harbor, I would say is a great beginner trail, with some intermediate. There are some gentle climbs and obvious trail tracks with a few bridges and a couple of rock wall areas that can easily be skirted if you're a beginner. When you get through the trail to Cherry St, if you're coming from the West Main St side where the parking is (it's a gravel lot at the end of a short street right by the fence, if you're seeing Michaels Spa, you've gone just a bit too far), you turn right at Cherry St, the sign on the road has worn off and the map looks like you go straight over, but you follow the bend of the road for a few yards and it intersects West St and then can see where you cross the road to carry on the trail.

It ends on Church St, beside a house. There's a trail sign, but hard to spot from the road and no parking on that end. You can cycle down the back road to get back to the parking if pushed for time, it's about a mile or so away (go right on Church St, then right on West St and left on Crawford St and ride it till you get to West Main St. An alternate flatter route is right on Church, right on Pleasant St, right onto Lincoln St and you come out onto Rt. 20 by the lights around the corner). The other trail just past this one, enters just past the church but there isn't any parking and it's a short loop up and around a hill that's not terribly technical but it is very hard work.

The far end of the trail on the other side of West St is the Beaver Trail, and features the infamous floating bridge, which is totally unrideable, sketchy to walk across, and completely fascinating.

By Richard Brown

NOTE: The Northborough Trails system is mountain bike friendly with the exception of Cedar Hills and Sawink Farm. Please do not ride those trails. Trail maps and trail head locations can be accessed at the following url: www.Northboroughtrails.org. The trails are all similar in terms of terrain and are all good for novice to intermediate riders, with the exception of Mt. Pisgah.

Local Shops

Links to Relevant Resources

West Hill Dam

Easy

50%

Moderate

25%

Difficult

25%

Description

Entrance fee at the swimming area is $5; No charge to park at the dam area.

The trails at West Hill meander through large, peaceful groves of red pines and are fast and flowy. There are a few short, steep hills to climb, but for the most part, the terrain is relatively flat, the trails are rock-free, and your biggest challenges are tree roots.

This is a fantastic place for beginners and novices, who can follow the long, wide cart path known as the Woodland Trail that circles the park property.

Intermediates and above can branch off onto the singletrack that splits off from the cart path. Most of the singletrack trails form loops off of this main doubletrack path, so it’s one of the easier trail systems in the area to navigate.

Links to Relevant Resources

Whitehall State Park

Easy

40%

Moderate

40%

Difficult

20%

Description

This park consists almost entirely of water: the 592 acre Whitehall Reservoir was once used as a source of drinking water. There is, however, a long, singletrack trail used for hiking and biking that encircles the reservoir. Park at the boat launch and start from either direction. The forest surrounding the reservoir provides plenty of gnarled, tangled roots to provide some technical aspect to your ride on otherwise mostly rock-free trails. There are a couple rocky sections on the southern end of the reservoir. Whitehall lies right across Pond Street from Upton State Forest, and the trails at the two parks can be connected. – by Brenda Smith

Links to Relevant Resources

Upton State Forest

Easy

50%

Moderate

25%

Difficult

25%

Description

Upton State Forest, also known as “Up-Up State Forest,” offers visitors a natural diversity of flora and fauna accented with historically significant contributions of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The focal point of the forest is located at 205 Westboro Road in Upton, where visitor parking, the main trail head, and park information is available. One has the opportunity to survey the grounds and exterior of a number of CCC structures located at this site.

Once parked in the public lot, make your way to the park entrance and briefly head north to enter Rabbit Run on the west side of the road to immediately experience where Up-Up gets its nickname. Much of Upton’s riding entails a healthy portion of climbing immediately followed by a quick and slightly technical descent. Just wash, rinse, and repeat as you move down Old Hopkinton Spring Trail, Mammoth Rock Trail, and into the southeast corner of the park where various single and double track await you. With little notable technical challenge, Up-Up’s undulating topography and year-round coverage of pine needles may sap some of your strength and provide a good after-work aerobic challenge.

While the majority of the trails in the 2,660-acre park are well-marked, it’s easy to get disoriented within the southern network. The DCR's map is above as well as an Open Street Map which shows more trails including some leading into and out of the forest.

The forest is a bit fragmented, with trails leading from one area to the rest. This becomes clearer on the Open Street Map.

Although there are more than enough trails in the Upton State Forest to keep anyone busy, some people choose to expand their ride by including trails in nearby Whitehall State Park.

Links to Relevant Resources

Hopkinton State Park

Easy

50%

Moderate

30%

Difficult

20%

Description

Daily Parking Fee: $8 MA Vehicle, $10 non-MA Vehicle

Hopkinton State Park is located in the towns of Hopkinton and Ashland and includes the picturesque Hopkinton Reservoir. The 1,245 acre park offers a variety of year round recreational activities including 10 miles of multi-use marked trails. Public restrooms are available during the spring, summer and fall months. With a dam and spillway on the National Register of Historic Places, the reservoir was constructed in 1891-1894 as part of Boston’s second major water works project. Due to the pleasant scenery and plentiful amount of green space, mountain biking at Hopkinton SP depends on both your knowledge of the trails and how many people are there enjoying the trails.

Single track, double track, fire roads, and paved roads spider web throughout the park, offering roughly 10 miles of potential riding, and most of it would be considered beginner-friendly for New England riding. To truly experience Hopkinton SP, however, you need to link up with some local riders who can lead you through the areas north of the reservoir starting in Ashland and south/east of the dam, crossing Howe St., leaving the property, ending with a fast, pine forest descent down the Deer Run trail in Ashland. When looped together, a six-mile loop awaits you offering very fast and fun New England single track. With only a few climbs and minimal technical interference, beginners can enjoy the scenery while more experienced riders can open the throttle and put their skills to use.

Parking at Hopkinton SP is cash-only and can be shut down in the summer due to overflow, but the park is abutted by dozens of small lots and public access points around the perimeter.

The DCR's map shows most of the trails, but the Open Street Map above adds a few more.

Links to Relevant Resources

Ashland State Park

Easy

40%

Moderate

40%

Difficult

20%

Description

Daily Parking Fee: $8 MA Vehicle, $10 non-MA Vehicle

With most of the trails bordering the 157-acre Ashland Reservoir, Ashland State Park offers some calm and shimmering scenery. Due to their proximity to the waters’ edge, however, the trails provide a novice-level of smooth and flowy dirt equally mixed with unforgiving roots and rocks that will make you appreciate your suspension (leading to the moniker “Bashland”).

The 470-acre park’s primary riding is single and double track bouncing around the reservoir in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, as well as crossing the dam. Frequent short single track off-shoots offer some steep, brief climbs and the chance to add 2-3 exploratory miles to the 4.5-mile loop that provides a surprisingly pleasant technical challenge interspersed with smooth dirt. Featuring a large waterfront and utilities for picnics/ BBQs, the park is very popular with dog walkers and families in the nicer weather.

The best place to park is at the Town's Community Center. Then head east on Ashland State Park Road. – By Fitch Proctor

Links to Relevant Resources

Event Date

The Upton State Forest is "affectionately" referred to as "Up - a - Ton" state forest, as you will get a good cardio workout on these trails. The trails here are a mix of fairly mellow double track and some very technical singletrack.

The trails chosen for this ride will depend on the skills ability of who shows up for the ride this night.

As with all rides, no one will be dropped. Our goal is to finish every ride with more smiles than miles.

The ride will start @ 6:00 PM from the Park's Headquarters building parking area located at 2 Southboro Rd.

Please try to be there before 6:00 PM so that we can get the ride off on time.

Event Date

The Thursday night ride series at Hopkinton State Park are novice/intermediate paced, no drop rides. While the park has a few small climbs and technical features, mainly the trails are flowy and fun, and not very technical. Typically the rides last 1 to 1 1/2 hours and cover 6 to 8 miles. Beginners are welcome, and we will split the ride into two groups if levels vary.

We ride most Thursdays, but check the BVNEMBA Facebook page or contact the ride leader to confirm.

Park in the cul-de-sac on Holly Lane in Ashland. Wheels up at 6:00 PM.